Hasten Slowly: As Pricipate (date nonspecific)

As I sit alone in the evenings as twilight settles gently across the horizon I am completely at ease with the pace of recovery in the Empire. The Senate has proved easy to manipulate as far as policy and economics; they are well aware of my military backing. A wise man once said however, "the art of war is to win without a fight," which I hold very dear to heart. The Senate has elected me Augustus as "pricipate" bestowing upon me most (if not all) powers of state, but despite this power I have no wishes to abuse this power. I am a servant of the Empire as is every other of Roman blood; I am responsible for the people and their well being. This duty is a heavy burden, and the power that is inherent with that great weight. I cannot let my people down.

With my now strong influence upon the affairs of state I choose to rule from the background. Of course the armies support brightens the portrait quite a bit. The once vibrant senate and nobles have become gray figures with no artistic fortitude in my painting of Rome! The common people are my benefactors, and it is for them I must be swift in my strokes and gentle in my technique. To act to rashly would destroy the foundation of trust in the administration, and then chaos will ensue once again.

The centralized senate is blind to the woes of the common citizen of Rome, and even if they were aware problems would still be rampant. The leagues and leagues of our great state contains peoples of many backgrounds and culture; They are united by one thing: Roman Citizenship! A intangible stamp of civility and worth that none may take away freely. These people do not need a stagnant and quibbling oligarchy system that is based in a distant capital! They need very little in order to function as does our brilliant government. The people need a local ruler whom they are adjusted to; someone who understands their plights and woes. These leaders do not need to be very competent, but they need to be rooted in their people. The Roman government needs little only: peace, good orders, and taxes. If the people or the provincial ruler does not comply, we may simply intercede with a military statement or demonstration to set order once again.

The determination of the populous always overwhelms the whims of the few and opulent. I must simply use my authority to balance the scale between these factions. The disparity of wealth is not as vital for these groups as the disparity of power.